The 12-year-old gelding's name still suits him. “No Brakes” doesn't like to do anything slowly, from eating his dinner to moving across his pasture at the Virginia Tech Foundation's Middleburg Agricultural Research and Extension Center (MARE).

“Brakey” developed quite the fan following during his eight years on the racetrack. In 111 starts, the Maryland-bred son of Parker's Storm Cat won 22 times, finished second 24 times, and 17 times finished third. In all, No Brakes earned $437,978.

He earned it the hard way. Fifth on debut for a claiming tag of $16,000, No Brakes broke his maiden at the same level in his fifth career start. By 2011, the gelding was racing for a $5,000 tag.

Wayne Potts first met No Brakes when girlfriend Katherine Sancuk claimed him in March of his 6-year-old season. Three starts later, the gelding won a $25,000 starter stakes on the Preakness undercard at Pimlico.

He ran 34 starts under Sancuk's care, with Thomas Freed joining the ownership during that time. No Brakes then changed hands another eight times before Potts and Freed claimed him for $4,000 on Aug. 29, 2015.

“When you watch this horse in the morning, he's like a little kid,” Potts told the Maryland Jockey Club. “You can't jog him in the morning. You have to gallop him. You have to back him up about a quarter mile and turn him around, and he's all business.”

In February of 2017, Potts made the difficult decision to retire No Brakes when the gelding put in several bad starts in a row.

“He's like my kid,” said the veteran trainer. “I was with him on and off for six years. I miss him every day.”

Standardbred files: Grecale As, the winningest aged trotter in North America this year (17!) made his last start a winning one at Monticello Raceway this past Wednesday. Both he and the other 14yo in the race Schalom G were given a nice little retirement ceremony after the race and Grecale got a Happy Retirement blanket courtesy of the folks at Monticello .http://xwebapp.ustrotting.com/absoluten ... 7&zoneid=1
Replay https://monticelloraceway.com/video-racing-results (race 5 on the 27th)
Notably, Grecale raced barefoot most of his career.

One of the true War Horses followed on this thread was the great grey, 13 yo g Doctor Titilo. He ran his entire career in Puerto Rico, and could be counted on to show up in the entries every few weeks. When he didn't show up this past spring after his first 6 races of 2017, I had a bad feeling. Rumors were beginning to circulate with regard to an impending and well deserved retirement, but that was not to be as Doctor Titilo succumbed to colic in late March. Too many of his fellow warriors passed into history this year and those that were mentioned many times in these chronicles are listed below:

10 yo g Tap It In (Tapit). Euthanized after taking a bad step at Golden Gate on the very first day of the year. 11 - 1-1-2, $33,350. 1st race after 3 year layoff.

I got to watch those Western Fair races on TVG, and it was so cool to see those two veterans, Weskey and Pacific Oak, go out winners. IIRC, one reached 57 wins and the other a whopping 60 victories. I hope they have comfy retirement quarters awaiting them all.

WarBiscuit wrote:One of the true War Horses followed on this thread was the great grey, 13 yo g Doctor Titilo. He ran his entire career in Puerto Rico, and could be counted on to show up in the entries every few weeks. When he didn't show up this past spring after his first 6 races of 2017, I had a bad feeling. Rumors were beginning to circulate with regard to an impending and well deserved retirement, but that was not to be as Doctor Titilo succumbed to colic in late March. Too many of his fellow warriors passed into history this year and those that were mentioned many times in these chronicles are listed below:

10 yo g Tap It In (Tapit). Euthanized after taking a bad step at Golden Gate on the very first day of the year. 11 - 1-1-2, $33,350. 1st race after 3 year layoff.

These War Horses, most having raced in 2017, have thankfully been retired healthy and sound. Some have gone to new permanent homes, while others have been
placed with groups that will try to find them new and less stressful careers.

11yo g Fiesty Day (Storm Day). Retired to Lone Star Outreach Program.

10yo m Merry Berry (Louis Quatorze). Retired from Camarero and returned to her birthplace in the US. CTA.

10yo g Saratoga Boot (Storm Boot). Retired by his trainer to an Ohio farm for a try at a new career.

11yo h Awesome Actor (Awesome Again). Tried to return to racing at Charles Town after a 7 year layoff, but was banned and returned to owners Maryland Farm.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

May these Warriors have a well deserved happy, healthy and long retirement. And many thanks to every single person and organization involved in helping them to a
soft landing, especially the CANTER groups, and those splendid souls at Caribbean Thoroughbred Aftercare. What a remarkable job they have done in the wake of disaster. Without their efforts, many of these horses would undoubtedly have appeared in the RIP columns...

WarBiscuit

"One horse-laugh is worth ten thousand syllogisms. It is not only more effective; it is also vastly more intelligent." H.L. Mencken

Wonderful to see the above list - hopefully they are all blessed with safe, happy retirements. One to add to the list - 9 yo Lady of Rivendell was claimed out of her 101st race by a wonderful group of ladies that were concerned she was running almost every week, usually finishing poorly. She was retired and rehomed through New Vocations and adopted by a wonderfully loving new owner and we may see her in the 2018 RRP!

I don't see a name I heard what seemed like EVERY week in 2011 on TVG running in Florida... ALISA'S ENGINEER. I remember putting him in my stable to follow him along because he wasn't running "cheap" by Florida standards, but man, was he running alot. He ran on again into 2012 what seemed like every other week and he did pretty well! He moved around a bit, too. Didn't stick to one track. Claimers, allowance races. He did it all. He was like clockwork... 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. I thought he was done after that year because he ran in the fall and then didn't come back again. Then he popped up in my box in mid 2016 and off he went again running through the winter. Then he disappeared again and re-emerged in the summer of 2017! He was definitely a little slower, the competition a little less this year.

Back in late October I saw him entered again at the $5000 price at Mountaineer. He'd race there a few times already and had won once earlier in the fall. He'd finished midpack a few weeks before in at the same level and was just even in the race. He's 9, not getting any younger and this was race #118. I figured he was done and would probably finish 5th or 6th or so again.

HE WON. The old man won. I was so proud of him, like he was my very own. I nearly cried... I really, really hoped that was his swan song.

He finished his career with a line of 118: 15-16-18 and earning of $200,966. Thank you to his owner/trainers the Shanyfelts for knowing Al deserved to go out a winner. I hope whoever gets him takes the best of care of him and he lives out his days happy and fat and sassy.

Well, it didn't take too long to lose the first War Horse of the year. 12yo g Electric Alphabet (Alphabet Soup), an often mentioned warrior on this thread fell at the top
of the stretch in Race 6 at Mahoning Valley today, and was euthanized. Another horse, 6yo g Venture Road fell over Electric Alphabet - no word on him yet, but probably not good.

WarBiscuit wrote:Well, it didn't take too long to lose the first War Horse of the year. 12yo g Electric Alphabet (Alphabet Soup), an often mentioned warrior on this thread fell at the top
of the stretch in Race 6 at Mahoning Valley today, and was euthanized. Another horse, 6yo g Venture Road fell over Electric Alphabet - no word on him yet, but probably not good.

bare it all wrote:I don't see a name I heard what seemed like EVERY week in 2011 on TVG running in Florida... ALISA'S ENGINEER. I remember putting him in my stable to follow him along because he wasn't running "cheap" by Florida standards, but man, was he running alot. He ran on again into 2012 what seemed like every other week and he did pretty well! He moved around a bit, too. Didn't stick to one track. Claimers, allowance races. He did it all. He was like clockwork... 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. I thought he was done after that year because he ran in the fall and then didn't come back again. Then he popped up in my box in mid 2016 and off he went again running through the winter. Then he disappeared again and re-emerged in the summer of 2017! He was definitely a little slower, the competition a little less this year.

Back in late October I saw him entered again at the $5000 price at Mountaineer. He'd race there a few times already and had won once earlier in the fall. He'd finished midpack a few weeks before in at the same level and was just even in the race. He's 9, not getting any younger and this was race #118. I figured he was done and would probably finish 5th or 6th or so again.

HE WON. The old man won. I was so proud of him, like he was my very own. I nearly cried... I really, really hoped that was his swan song.

He finished his career with a line of 118: 15-16-18 and earning of $200,966. Thank you to his owner/trainers the Shanyfelts for knowing Al deserved to go out a winner. I hope whoever gets him takes the best of care of him and he lives out his days happy and fat and sassy.

OHHH my = Happy tears here! o very thankful that he is well and retired = THANKS!

WarBiscuit wrote:Well, it didn't take too long to lose the first War Horse of the year. 12yo g Electric Alphabet (Alphabet Soup), an often mentioned warrior on this thread fell at the top
of the stretch in Race 6 at Mahoning Valley today, and was euthanized. Another horse, 6yo g Venture Road fell over Electric Alphabet - no word on him yet, but probably not good.

The day has arrived, and 10yo h Forest Mouse finds himself moved over to the War Horse thread. This Sunday he begins his 2018 campaign at Sunland Park entered in the Winsham Lad Handicap seeking his 4th consecutive win of this race. Save for the Zia Park Sprint in November, Forest Mouse had a fine 2017 and hopefully the aging legs can carry him safely through another season. Outside of his Southwest territory, he seems to be a very underappreciated horse. One of the very best of the hard-knockers, he'll be looking to hit that million dollar mark. Go get 'em, Mouse!

Missing Camarero horses that have recently shown up in the entries include 13yo m Worthy of Wings, 12yo g Gato Paso,
12yo m Princesa Dorada and 13yo g Concertos Song. Happy that they still exist - not happy to see them racing again.

An old timer that doesn't race too well, 10yo g Competitive Sport, is back for another season at Portland Meadows. In his 54 career starts, he has never won
a race and has accrued a paltry $12,698. Maybe time for a less stressful job? Good luck to him.

WarBiscuit

"One horse-laugh is worth ten thousand syllogisms. It is not only more effective; it is also vastly more intelligent." H.L. Mencken